The police and eyewitnesses found Razzak unconscious next to the houses of Army Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul and his next door neighbour Nur Islam Sana. The perpetrators were brutally beating Razzak in order to confirm his death. His bother Bodiar was also being beaten in brutal method. The police did not arrest any of the perpetrators from the scene.

(April 30, Dhaka, Sri Lanka Guardian) Human Rights Defender cum journalist F M A Razzak, President of Human Rights Development Centre (HRDC) and Editor of the Pakkhik Gonomichhil (Fortnightly Mass Procession, a vernacular newspaper), based in Paikgachha of Khulna district, has been struggling for life at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital now. Mr. Razzak was abducted by around 20 people led by Mr. Kazal Sarder, who is a brother of Bangladesh Army Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul, from Paikgachha town. At around 10:30PM on 29 April 2011, Mr. Razzak was abducted from the Dhaka-bound Bus Terminal of Paikgachha where he, accompanied by his younger brother Mr. Bodiuzzaman Bodiar and co-brother Mr. Bakkar, went to a medicine shop for buying medicine.

The abductors forcibly put Razzak and two other persons to a Nosimon (a locally made vehicle of shallow pump engine) beating randomly. On the way Bakkar was thrown from the vehicle while Razzak and Bodiar were taken to a field adjacent to the house of Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul, who reportedly ordered his brother Kazal Sarder to kill Razzak immediately.

Around thirty men brutally beat Razzak and Bodiar with stick, rod, sharp weapons. The perpetrators pushed fingers into Razzak eyes that started seriously bleed. The right hand and leg of Razzak have been fractured in several places. He has sustained sever injuries all over his body.

Meanwhile, when the family received information from the pedestrians of the scene of abduction that Razzak and two of his relatives were abducted by a group of people, they looked for them in probable nearby places including the Paikgachha police station. The Paikgachha police expressed their ignorance about the alleged incident to the relatives. One of Razzak’s relatives called the Additional Superintendent of Police of Khulna district seeking immediate action by the police. Then, a team of police led by Sub Inspector (SI) Nurul Islam, who is the Second Officer of the Paikgachha police, comprising SI Delwar Hossain, SI Idris Ali and few Constables, moved slowly toward Godaipur village toward which direction the abductors drove their vehicle, according to the eyewitnesses. But, the police team was seen stopped their motorbikes at Godaipur Natun Bazar instead of searching the whereabouts of Razzak. One of Razzak’s relatives drove a motorbike toward the house of Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul in Godaipur village under the jurisdiction of the Paikgachha police station and from around 300 yards away he heard noise of beating and cries of persons and requested the police to rescue the victims. Then the police only moved to the scene.

The police and eyewitnesses found Razzak unconscious next to the houses of Army Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul and his next door neighbour Nur Islam Sana. The perpetrators were brutally beating Razzak in order to confirm his death. His bother Bodiar was also being beaten in brutal method. The police did not arrest any of the perpetrators from the scene. They (police) put Razzak’s unconscious body and Bodiar, who was critically injured, onto the same vehicle, which was used by the perpetrators at the time of abduction. The police brought them to the Paikgachha Upazilla Health Complex (local public hospital).

Eye witnesses told the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that Razzak’s both eyes was almost gauged out while he was bleeding from the eyes. His right leg and hand were fractured in several places. The whole body had injuries with marks of cut, bruise and swollen wounds.

The on duty medical officer of the Paikgachha hospital, who primarily examined Razzak did not find his pulse, told the relatives that the “patient had died already”. After receiving the information about Razzak’s abduction when AHRC contacted Razzak’s wife Mrs. Rahima Razzak after 2AM in Hong Kong time on 30 April early morning Rahima told the AHRC that she was told by the doctors that Razzak was “no more”. Meanwhile, the leaders of the journalist community came to the hospital and insisted the doctors to examine Razzak consistently to confirm Razzak’s life and death status. The doctors then re-examined Razzak for around 40 minutes and finally found Razzak was alive. They started giving the first aid to Razzak. His brother Bodiar’s right forearm is broken while the whole body is marked with serious injuries. The Paikgachha hospital, which me incapable of providing necessary treatment, referred Razzak to the Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH).

As the news of Razzak’s survival spread among people the perpetrators carrying various types of weapons came to the Paikgachha hospital to kill him (Razzak) when the relatives were taking Razzak and Bodiar to an ambulance for the KMCH. The inhabitants of the neighbourhood of the hospital attempted to catch the perpetrators. Then, the police prevented the people giving ways to the perpetrators to escape.

The doctors of the KMCH provided another first aid instead of any specialised treatment to Razzak and referred to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), the largest public hospital of the country, for treatment. The doctors told the relatives that if Razzak’s eyes are not adequately and immediately treated within 24 hours since time of gauging the eyes he (Razzak) will permanently lose his eye sight. His right leg and hand also require immediate proper treatment in order to avoid permanent physical disability. Razzak returned to his sense but could not see anything.

Razzak told the AHRC that Major Mustafizur Rahman Bokul’s brother Kazal Sarder and their allies abducted him from the Dhaka Bus Stand of Paikgachha. He was taken to an open field next to Bokul’s parent’s house. Everyone of Major Bakul’s family including his mother tortured him. Kazal Sarder called his brother Major Bokul and asked, “the son of a bitch is brought to our house; what shall we do to him?” The mobile phone’s conversation was made handset free at that time. Major Bokul instructed to his relatives from the other end, “Take off his eyes and kill him!” The perpetrators then pushed screwdrivers into both of the eyes of Razzak and stirred the screwdrivers around the eyeballs. Razzak immediately became unable to see anything. Kazal Sarder also called the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Paikgachha police station told him that they want to gauge Razzak’s eyes in another handset free conversation. In reply the OC told, “First make sure that the eyes of the son of pig are taken out. Then, confirm me!” Razzak felt that he was being beaten with rod and stick until he lost his sense.

Razzak’s brother Bodiar told that he heard the OC’s conversation while the police officer was telling Kazal Sarder that “Police will not go (to the crime scene) until you finish him (Razzak).” “When the police were taking us (Razzak and Bodiar) to hospital by Nosimon Idris Daroga (Sub Inspector of police are locally called “Daroga”) told his other colleagues to through him beside the road from the vehicle (indicating Razzak) though the rest did not do that as some people were following the vehicle”, said Bodiar.

Bangladesh Navy personnel Shafik, son of Sultan Fakir was physically present in the torture of Razzak. Shafik told the fellow perpetrators not to hand over Razzak to the police, who may be compelled by local people to arrange medical treatment for Razzak. Instead, he suggested to handover Razzak to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), which will remain out of reach of the people and will murder him in the pretext of crossfire.

The journalists of Khulna allege that the KMCH doctors have been influenced by Major Bokul and other military officers. As a result, the doctors did not record the injuries of Razzak in details and avoided providing necessary treatment to Razzak. They have reasoned that as the medical college hospitals in Bangladesh are headed by the army officers the perpetrators of the military service dominate the whole hospital administration and medical cares whenever the officers of the armed forces wish to do. The relatives of Razzak and journalists seriously fear that in the DMCH, which is also headed by a Brigadier of Bangladesh Army, Razzak may be denied necessary medical treatment due to the interference by the military officers.

At 9:45AM Razzak was brought to the DMCH for treatment. Since then a large number of plain clothed officers of the intelligence agencies, who belong to the armed forces, have cordoned the hospital where no treatment is being given to Razzak and his brother. Doctors are barred from treating the victims due to the instructions from the officers of the armed forces. Razzak is left on the floor of the Radiology Unit of the DMCH.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Since 18 February 2011 the family and relatives of Razzak including his elderly parents, brothers and their wives and children have come under attack by the gang apparently led by Kazal Sarder and masterminded by Major Mustafizur Rahman on several occasions. The physical attacks led to hospitalisation of the victims for weeks.

Two shallow water pump machines that are owned by Razzak’s father for irrigation in the cultivation land had been taken away by Kazal and his gang, who tortured one of the brothers of Razzak while stole the first one and fabricated a theft case with the Paikgachha police.

The same perpetrators cut away (paddy) crops from the field of Razzak’s family on 27 April by Kazal Sarder and his gang.

On 28 April a police team led by the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of the Dakope Circle of Khulna comprising Sub Inspector (SI) Idris Ali and five other policemen went to Godaipur village to investigate the complaints of both parties - Razzak’s family and Major Bokul’s family. The police assured Razzak and his relatives that they (police) will protect them during the investigation. Instead, Kazal Sarder and his gang beat Razzak’s another brother and relatives in front of the police officers who did nothing to save them from physical attack.

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